Well I have a new favourite classic (tied with Dracula)! My buddy readers and I (to whom I must apologise for being the worst buddy reader ever) discussed what makes a book a classic, and timelessness is definitely a factor. For me, One Hundred Years of Solitude is timeless. A beautiful, crazy, thoughtful, timeless read.
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I'm actually immensely proud of myself for reading and loving this book as much as I did, given my lack of patience for classics, especially classics where everyone has the same name... looking at you, 27 Aurelianos and 12 José Arcadios. But the repetition of the names is crucial in underlining the curse of solitude and doomed fate of the Buendía family. I became completely absorbed in their repetitive, endless familial cycles as we span the history of Macondo over several generations. There are themes in this novel that probably went over my head, as I'm not very well-read in Latin American literature, but it made me want to read up on it to understand the deeper levels of meaning - that to me is a successful read!
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I also adored the hints of magical realism such as regular ghosts, women ascending to Heaven while hanging the washing out, and masses and masses of yellow butterflies; they all serve for some startling imagery and further highlighting of important themes such as alienation, change, and imperialism.
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The characters were amazing, especially infallible Ùrsula! Their relationships are complex, often incestuous (this book is messed up at times), and you will need to make extensive use of the family tree when reading but I think it's totally worth it! One Hundred Years of Solitude is witty, sharp, beautiful, and honestly one of my new favourite books! And of course, mention of the translation, Gregory Rabassa did a brilliant job of capturing Márquez's wit and depiction of Colombian village life!
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5 incredible stars!!